Gents,

There has been something that has been troubling me in the leadup to the Trophy game on Sunday, and I feel it's only fair that I share it with you.

Last season, from the earliest stages onwards of the FA Cup run, I used to get excited all week about the prospect of a trip to Hornchurch, or Bath, or any of the other places we visited on our all too brief journey following the worlds oldest footballing competition. I would be enthusiastically telling people at work, people at home, friends who hated football all about where we were going, and the various teams we were seeing etc.

But now that enthusiasm has gone.

It's 3 days until the next game, and I must admit that I have been trying my hardest to drum up some enthusiasm inside me for it. But I can't. I really can't. I am hoping that come Sunday morning I'll be chomping at the bit to get to Champion Hill, but I really can't see it.

So with this in mind, I would like to say now that I am resigning from the FA Trophy run. I feel that If I were to go and not want to be there, it would only detract from your enjoyment of the game, and along with this I don't want to be someone who dips in and out of rounds when they see fit. If I can't offer 100% dedication to the cause, then I shouldn't go at all.

I hope that the remaining rounds have as many great memories as the Barnsley kiss, playing shaft on repeat in a racist pub, cab drivers getting into fights with pedestrians, Stella Man and Mark Branch. Mon the Hamlet!